As you prepare for a visit from make believe ghosts, goblins and spooky creatures make it your goal to keep Halloween safe for those children with food allergies.
What have we learned from a previous year’s Halloween celebration? It can be done safely, with a little advance planning for kid’s special night. One of the most important things to do for this holiday (as well as anytime) is to be a LABEL DETECTIVE! Many snack foods and candy may contain peanuts, nuts, eggs and milk (among the most common food allergens in US kids).
Here is a list of ways to enjoy a safe Halloween.
• Go shopping with your child and pre-purchase safe foods and snacks that do not contain suspect allergens before the “trick-or-treating” begins.
• Attend a Halloween party with your child to ensure that you can monitor treats to keep your child safe and resolve any food allergy concerns.
• Bake safe foods and treats at home and bring them with you to parties and during trick-or-treating on Halloween (if your child has gluten intolerance or celiac disease, this will be particularly important).
• If your child is allergic to egg and egg products watch out for the appearance of “shiny” food products that may signal egg coating on bakery foods.
• Keep your child’s emergency medication on hand, such as an epinephrine auto-injector, if prescribed for potential use if a food induced allergic reaction should occur.
• Consider non-food items such as stickers, crayons, in lieu of snacks, candy and food items.
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